Coventry serial shop robber jailed

A SERIAL shop robber who struck five times in just three weeks has been jailed.

According to West Midlands Police, Setchell stole £5,000 pounds in cash and tobacco.

Police were able to link him to a distinctive bicycle used to commit the offences.

He was charged with five counts of robbery and at Warwick Crown Court on January 31 and he was jailed for eight years.

Ryan Setchell threatened staff with hammers, crowbars and knives as he struck at shops, a hotel and a McDonald’s restaurant.

Among the places he robbed were some just yards from his home in Holyhead Road, Coventry.

The 30-year-old brandished a knife at a night porter in Days Hotel, Holyhead Road, in the early hours of June 16.

After threatening staff he cycled off with guests’ cash deposits.

On July 2 he stole takings from a Tesco Express in Holyhead Road, robbed McDonalds in nearby Alvis Retail Park at 4.30am on July 7, and later that day raided One Stop in Westhill Road, Coundon.

But West Midlands Police caught up with him two days later after he stole cash, booze and cigarettes from a Meriden Co-Op in The Green.

He was seen driving off in a Ford Fiesta following the 8pm robbery which was quickly picked up by response officers.

And after a brief pursuit Setchell crashed and was arrested.

A cash box full of bank notes and four knives were recovered from the vehicle.

One witness described the robber wearing paint-stained jogging bottoms.

And when officers searched tiler Setchell’s home they found an identical pair smeared with grout finger marks.

Setchell wore face coverings but, crucially, detectives found CCTV of him unmasked while conducting a recce of the Tesco store earlier in the day.

He also rode off on a blue bike that was used to commit other offences.

Setchell will be subject to an extended four-year licence period upon his eventual release.

Investigating officer, detective constable Steve Phillips from Force CID in Coventry, said: “No-one was seriously hurt but we can’t underestimate the psychological impact on staff when threatened with weapons; they were subjected to terrifying ordeals and I’m glad the sentence handed down reflects the gravity of the offences.

“Our enquiries suggested Setchell was considering upping the ante and attacking building societies so it was important that we apprehended him quickly.

“Staff working in businesses across Coventry should feel reassured and safer in their workplace now that Setchell has been taken out of society for a long time.”

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